(The article is cited in the OP above)
Gift link:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/13/opinion/affordable-car-cost.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bVA.ohVt.xXmsPJEgYQky&smid=url-share
FOR GENERATIONS, working- and middle-class Americans could find an inexpensive, reliable set of wheels to get around. In the 1970s oil crisis, such modest models came to be known as “econoboxes” and surged in popularity, particularly among a large and vibrant middle class.
That era is over.
The average transaction price for a new car now sits around $50,000. In December, it became just about impossible to find one for less than $20,000.
A Honda Civic Hatchback? Most start at $28,000. The Touring Hybrid costs more than $32,000. How about the Chevy Trailblazer? On most lots, its price tag approaches $25,000. The Toyota Corolla? The Hybrid trims start around $26,000. Forget the Chevy Malibu; it was discontinued last year.
While politicians and economists scratch their heads at voters upset about affordability in a decent economy, they seem to somehow miss the fact that for most Americans the purchase of a car has become a debt sentence.
More at link....
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